New Species - mainly bees

My friendly bee expert was here today checking out the Spring Bees on site. A number were new species, namely Hairy-footed Flower Bee, Common Mourning Bee (which predates the Flower Bee) and Tree Bumblebee. We also saw the Dark-edged Bee Fly for the first time here though last year I recorded the Western Bee Fly. The photo is the Common Mourning Bee.

7-Spot Ladybirds

So far this Spring I have come across three ladybirds - all of them of the 7-Spot variety. This is encouraging in that I rarely see Ladybirds these days. Back in Leicestershire I used to see a several different types even if 2-Spot and 7-Spot were the commonest prior to the arrival of Harlequins.

Honey Bee

I found this apparently drowned insect in a water butt and after pulling it out noticed a very slight twitch of one leg. I left it out to dry and then took it indoors in a box and put some honey under its head. I was amazed to find it fit and healthy the next morning and it was gone about twenty minutes after I put it outside in the sun. I didn't recognize it as a Honey Bee but apparently the long thin cell on the outer edge of the wing is diagnostic. Of course the design of the abdomen is also distinctive but I was fooled by the bright colouration. I had read that honey is the one thing that gets an ailing bee up and flying and it actually works.

Siskins on the feeder

No photo I'm afraid but there were a pair of Siskins on the seed feeder today. I rarely see them on site. Also the Greater Spotted Woodpecker was back after a fairly long absence. The usual crowd of tits was there including the regular Marsh Tits that come every day

Hog release 2019

The first hog release of 2019 took place on 5 days ago. A female hog found on a busy road so she could not be returned. She has been in the rescue sanctuary for a few months. She is still using the hog house despite being free to roam. Evidence from our trail camera shows that she has overnighted in it for most but not all of the nights since release

New Species - Brambling

For the first time I seem to have attracted a group of Chaffinches to the newish bird feeder. Previously when the feeder was at the window we had an occasional Chaffinch but now the seed feeder hangs in a tree we have a regular group of half a dozen Chaffinches who mainly feed on the stuff that fall to the ground. Today they were joined by a single Brambling - the first time I have seen this species here. I managed a fuzzy photo that includes a Goldfinch in flight.